Interfitting display unit



Dec. 15, 1959 B. MENlN 2,917,188

INTERF'ITTING DISPLAY UNIT Filed May 28, 1956 INVENTOR.

BENJAMIN MENIN ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,917,188 INTERFI'ITING DISP LAY' UNIT Behiami Menin Philadellfllifl, r. a g r' tqJj' T e Weiller Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporatio of Pennsylvania r v I Application May 28, 1956, Serial No. 587,554 2 Claims. (Cl. 211-177) My invention relates to a display unit, and more particularly relates to a multiple-arrangement, advertising, display stand.

In the advertising of merchandise, it is frequently desirable to have an integral display stand whose dimensions may be varied to fit within a particular designated area. This would permit the dealer or display installer to arrange the display to suit any available space or window and giving the appearance that the units were custom made for that space.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide an interfitting and flexible display unit whose component parts may be assembled at the site of installation to suit the available space of the site.

Another object of my invention is to provide a plurality of preformed display panels and interconnecting members which may be arranged to form an interlocking, multiple display unit of any desired dimensions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a display unit which may be custom made at and for the site of installation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a display stand model which may be arranged and assembled to suit the appearance of a particular area and from which a final permanent installation unit may be designed.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly effective in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a single display panel and assembly tube embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a single display stand assembly.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of multiple display stand assembly.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the bottom of a stand showing the manner of joining the base to the assembly tube.

Fig. 6 is a modification of my invention showing the manner in which a carton may be mounted upon the panel.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, I show a multiple-arrangement display unit comprising a plurality of display panels, generally designated as A, a plurality of assembly tubes, generally designated as B, and a supporting base, generally designated as C.

Each panel A is of cardboard or plastic material and comprises a flat front surface 12 upon which advertising 2, information is printed or lithographed. Extending the width of the front surface 12 at its top and bottom are a pair of scored turnback flaps 14 which may be folded at right angles away from the front surface. The flaps 14 are die out with holes 16 which are large enough to permit sliding of the panels A over the cardboard assembly tubes B. In this regard, the holes 16 in the upper flaps are inalignment with those of the lower flap so that a tube B may easily pass through an upper and lower flap 14 as shown in Fig. l.

A snug fitting rubber ring 18 is slipped over the tubes B and form supports for the display panels A which then rest on the rings 18. In order to vertically join a pair of tubes B, a cardboard dowel 20 whose outer diameter snugly interfits with the inner diameter 22 of the tube B, is partially inserted within the end of one tube. The second tube B is then pressed over the projecting end of the dowel 20 until thetwo ends of the joined tubes abut, see Fig. 3.

The supporting base C comprises a wire stand having a U-shaped portion 30 from which extends a pair of right angle ends 32. The U-shaped portion 30 is designed to snugly interfit within the inner diameter 22 of the tubes B. In Figs. 2 and 5, a pair of the bases C are set at right angles to one another to define a stand C1 for a display tree. That is, a display tree is one in which allof the panels A are fitted to a single column of tubes B, as shown in Fig. 2, and it is necessary to combine a pair of bases C in order to 'provide ground support for the tree.

In Fig. 4, a multiple display unit is shown wherein a base C is inserted within a pair of columns of tubes B. It is to be observed that the multiple display stand in Fig. 4 may have its individualtrees rotated with respect to one another in order to give an arcuate, circular or rectangular arrangement to the entire stand. This is desirable when the display unit is centrally located or to 'give a three-dimensional effect.

In order to provide a further appearance of threedimensions, I show a modification in Fig. 6 wherein a panel A1 is illustrated. The panel A1 has a pair of slots 40 cut through the surface 12. A carton 44 which may have a front viewing window to display small articles of merchandise also has a pair of slots 46 complementary with slots 40. The carton 44 is attached to panel A1 by inserting keylocks 42 through the complementary slots 40 and 46. As is illustrated, the keylocks 42 are of arrow head shape and have a notch on either lateral surface so that when the keylocks are rotated a quarter turn in the complementary slots 40 and 46, a positive interlocking fit of the carton 44 to the panel A1 is afforded.

Although my invention has been described in considerable .detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. An interfitting display unit comprising a plurality of assembly tubes in detachable longitudinally registering relation, dowel means snugly interfitting within the interior wall of adjacent tube ends and supporting said tubes in a column, a plurality of display panel-s, opposed flaps hingedly secured on the top and bottom edges of said panels, said flaps having axially aligned holes there- 7 in in slidable engagementupon said column, and a washer frictionally engaging the column adjacent the lower edge of each of said panels for support thereof in a vertical position, and wire support means of flat plan configuration interfitting within the interior of selective lowermost tubes to ground support the display unit whereby said column -.Paliented, Dec. 15, 1959.

may'be assembled'to any" desired height and said panels may be incorporated thereon in any axially spaced rotary position.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said wire support mean'sare' U-shaped in configuration and having o'utwardly extending, longitudinally aligned legs oriented at right angles to the axis of the respective tubes.

1,238,988 Connor Sept. 4, 1917 Leconte Oct. 10, 1922 Cookson Dec. 15, 1936' Brown Jan. 12, 1943 Hansen et al. Jan. 24, 1950 Damroth Oct. 17, 1950 Shinn July 8, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 18, 1940 France Sept. 26, 1951 France Sept. 14, 1955 

